tell me about your faith?

Natrgrrl,

I'm a confessional Lutheran, always was, probably always will be. I also worked for a number of years as a licensed Funeral Director, and as a result was exposed to many Christian Denominations from Orthodox to Amish. I befriended Clergy from most denominations, however I would have to say that Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran, were the easiest to talk to, and were the most well educated and knowledgeable regarding Scripture. (Rabbis do know the OT better, and were also friendly, and I was able to learn a lot from them). I am also still good friends with an elderly Amish Bishop, although apart from faith in Christ, we have little in common from a doctrinal stand point.

While I do not and can not despise these denominations, I remain Lutheran because of the strong adherence to Scripture (Sola Scriptura). We are not much different than the RC and EO Churches (although they will tell you otherwise). Were we do differ, is in Doctrinal Authority. In both the RC and EO; tradition, and in the case of the RC Church; the Pope can and does supersede the Bible. In the Lutheran Church the Bible supersedes all.

With regard to the other reformed and protestant denominations; Human logic, personal experience, and personal interpretation can and does supersede Scripture when it interferes with their doctrinal ideas.

Cults such as LDS, Jehovah's Witness, Scientology, etc. Base their teachings on human revelations, and have even re wrote Scripture in their own translations to support doctrine in some instances.

By adherence to Scriptural Authority, Lutheranism for me is a no-brain-er (I also love the traditional Lutheran Mass which is the same as the RC one with all of the non Biblical stuff removed).

If you have any other questions please email me.

Your friend in Christ,

Mark

Addendum:

With regard to what you believe and don't believe; Scripture tells us everything that we need to know regarding our salvation, but it tells us only what we need to know, not always what we want to know.

Likewise it tells us what God wants us to hear, again not always what we want to hear.

I was raised Catholic, and ran from it as an adult as I didn't believe in a lot of things I had been taught. For a few years I didn't call myself a Christian anymore. Then I started to study the Bible in order to prove it wrong and "contradicting" etc. Within a year of really trying to understand what the Bible says and reading between the lines, I called myself a Christian again. It's been about 3 years since then and I'm a devout Christian. I belong to a non-denominational church and I feel better than I've ever felt in my entire Life. I think if you really look at your beliefs you'll start to see that some of the problems have to do with organized religion and not the Bible. I thought it was the Bible until I really read it and saw that so many things were misquoted and verses that I thought meant one thing actually mean another.

I have my own proof that Jesus Christ is real and He is my Savior. The only person who can prove it to you is you. I hope that God touches you as you start to explore other beliefs. I don't know you, but you'll be in my prayers.

Peace & Love

I was raised Lutheran too. That is good that you are still discovering what you do and don't believe.It shows that you are growing in knowledge! Discussing our differences in faith helps us to understand one another better..we don't have to agree with the other person's view point but really listening may help us understand why that person lives his life the way he does. I feel sorry for all the "know-it-alls" out there..who are too busy insisting that thier way is the right to listen to anyone elses ideas.

Faith not based on fact is fantacy. Those of The True Christian Faith base their "Faith" on The Fact of God's personal relationship with them... this is not something that can be "proven" to any one... and no one of The Faith can "prove" God to any one... Here is a link to a page I have on The Lutheran(Missouri Synod)... from there you can go to my Statements page where there is a link to my Testimony... That will give you my basis for my "Faith"

http://www.mikevanauken.pages.web.com/mikesinterne...

I am Apostolic (also known as Pentecostal), I believe in One God whose name is Jesus. I believe in baptism in Jesus' Name and I believe in receiving the Holy Ghost by evidence of speaking in tongues. I also believe in living a modest life which comes as you grow in faith. I don't believe in putting other folks down just because they don't believe as I do, but I do, however, believe in telling others about my beliefs. I have been to many different churches and baptized many different ways and this way is what I have found to be the most full filling and I believe it to be the one and only true way to salvation. I am 100% Bible believing!

As a Roman Catholic we profess our faith in the Nicene Creed:

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Mark R. really got it right! Martin Luther teaches the bible is "the inerrant word of God." we should not try to add or detract from its message.

To clear up one point, the Bible teaches us only what we need to know for our salvation but not the details of how or why.

I wish the liberal leaders of the E.L.C.A. would read Marks comments.

I was raised Christian but never felt like I fit in at all and found I couldn't believe, even at 5 years old. At 21 I stopped trying and drifted for a year and found paganism. That helped a lot and I explored and researched various religions and branches of paganism. I became an elder and kept researching because I wasn't quite where I needed to be. Then I came across Heathenism and found the fit. The religion and deities fit my basic nature and longing for something that encouraged loyalty, honor, freedom, courage, justice and wisdom. Then I found the deities that had just been waiting for me.

It's not an easy path but it's the one for me and my family.

About the religion: Asatru is the pre-Christian religion of the people of Northern Europe and England. The reconstructionist religion of the Anglo-Saxons of England is called Theodism and varies from Asatru but with the same roots. Asatru can be described as the Northern European tribal and native religion that is a polytheistic, nature oriented faith grounded in honoring the gods, reverence for our ancestors and living by an honorable code, much like many African, Oriental, Native American and Aboriginal religions. Most people might recognize our gods by the names Thor, Odin, Freya, Frigga or by Donner, Wotan, Frigg and the Frowe from comic books, Norse mythology, Wagner operas, and attempts to blend the Asatru and Vanir into non-Heathen pagan rituals and belief systems. There are two separate groups of deities known as the Aesir and Vanir, some viewing the Vanir as Earth deities and the Aesir the “Air and mental” deities. Like Greek and Roman pantheons, our gods have families, histories, focus and skills but don’t easily “correspond” to the Greco-Roman pantheon. Odin and Zeus have different powers, focus and behaviors. Ares being the Greek god of war whereas there is no real god of war in the Heathen pantheon and Freya is more than just a love goddess, having more a range of focus and powers than Aphrodite. *** One difference between reconstructionist religions and general paganism is the view that all gods are merely aspects of a greater one, male, female or non-sexual. We view our deities as very separate from each other, each with their own personalities, faults and goals. Another difference is keeping the pantheons separate, you won’t find a Heathen calling upon Thor and Isis at a Heathen blot. To honor the deities, our ancestors, our families and Earth and her cycles we have two basic celebrations: a blot and a sumble. A blot is a blessing, offering a sacrifice of ale, mead or milk onto the Earth and sharing the blessed liquid with the gathered family, the Kindred. We honor the deities by raising our horn and toasting them, acknowledging their influences in our lives and upon the earth and working with their energies. Most blots are held at the equinoxes, solstices and cross quarter days and for specific events: weddings, funerals, land blessing, coming of age and such. **** Our holy days begin with our most important holiday of Yule. December 20th – Winter Solstice - Yule. Lasting from the solstice to the first of January, the 12 nights are celebrated with offerings, rituals and blessings. * January 31st, Disfest, an honoring to the land wights, the spirits. Also known as elves. * March 21st Spring Equinox known as Ostara where Spring and rebirth is celebrated, symbolized by rabbits, eggs and flowers. * April 30th – Walpurgishnacht – celebrating the awakening of the Earth, gathering greens and branches to decorate the homes and villages and lighting of bonfires. * June 21st, Summer Solstice – making of wreaths, kindling of fires, burning corn dollies. Celebrating the high point of the year, the summer when the days are long, the crops are planted and some of our Viking ancestors would go sailing on raids. * September 21st – Autumn Equinox – the beginning of the harvest, the gathering of food for the long winter months ahead. People and livestock would be brought inside for protection and warmth. Also known as Winter Finding in Asatru. * Mid October – Final Harvest – some celebrate this on Halloween to move closer to other pagan traditions. * The second kind of celebration is a Sumbel in which a drinking horn is passed at least three times among those gathered. Typically the first round is dedicated to the gods, each person hailing a specific god or goddess or all of them. The second round being for the folk and the third being personal: a boast, an oath or a hail to a personal deity. *

There are some basic differences between paganism/Wicca and Asatru/heathenism: we don't believe in reincarnation * magic isn't as much a focus in Asatru * We don't form magickal circles for workings * we don't view our deities as aspects of a cosmic divine, they are separate entities * we don't mix pantheons in our rituals * we have a sun goddess and moon god (unlike most pagan paths) * our holidays don't quite match Wiccan ones

There is no scientific proof to support or deny a God. I'm still waiting to see what happens as well.

I don't have a "religion" since I'm a Deist

http://www.positivedeism.com/